What to Watch
Kit Connor as Nick and Joe Locke as Charlie in 'Heartstopper' on Netflix

2022 Is The Year Of The YA Book Adaptation

Some of the year's most popular shows and movies are based on books from the nostalgic genre.

by Sarah Halle Corey
Netflix

First kisses, first loves, and first supernatural encounters... The YA genre has a little something for everyone. No matter how old you are, whether you’re the same age as the characters or well into adulthood, the coming-of-age stories in YA books provide something for everyone. In fact, the only thing better than a good YA book is a good YA book-to-screen adaptation. Luckily, 2022 is filled with enough YA book adaptations to keep fans busy all year long.

It may be a controversial opinion to say a movie or book adaptation is better than the book. But there’s definitely something to be said for getting to see your favorite stories told on screen. You get to compare the filmmakers’ versions to the ones you came up with in your mind while reading, plus your favorite stories get to reach a wider audience.

This year has already been a banner one for YA TV shows and movies, with a ton of releases like Heartstopper and The Summer I Turned Pretty that have already taken the internet by storm. But there’s a lot more where that came from, so read on for a full list of 2022 YA adaptations that will make your year.

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The Sky Is Everywhere

Based on Jandy Nelson’s novel of the same name, this movie premiered on Apple TV+ on February 11, 2022. Perfect for when you want to get in your feels, the movie follows a teen girl who deals with her grief following the loss of her older sister.

Apple TV+

Heartstopper

Heartstopper was released on April 22, 2022, on Netflix, and almost instantly became a classic. Even before the LGBTQ+ series premiered, the graphic novel it’s based on was a hit. There’s good news for fans waiting for Season 2; there are six books in the series to help satisfy the itch.

Along For The Ride

This sweet YA romance about two insomniac teens adventuring together first debuted as a super-popular book by Sarah Dessen and was released as movie on Netflix on May 6, 2022.

First Kill

Based on a short story by author V.E. Schwab, First Kill — which came out on Netflix on June 10, 2022 — is the sapphic teen vampire story of your dreams.

Netflix

The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Jenny Han universe has expanded from the To All the Boys franchise to the Prime Video series adaptation of her trilogy The Summer I Turned Pretty. After dropping on June 17, 2022, the series is already a smash hit.

Hello, Goodbye, and Everything In Between

Jordan Fisher, from To All the Boys and After We Collided, co-stars with Talia Ryder in this movie about a high school couple who agree to break up before college. It comes out on Netflix on July 6, 2022.

Paper Girls

With some serious Stranger Things vibes, this hit comic-turned-Prime TV series is set in the 1980s and follows a group of teen girls who face some supernatural threats in their neighborhood. It’s set to premiere July 29, 2022.

The Midnight Club

The novel The Midnight Club came out way back in 1994, and now the horror mystery thriller will be released as a TV series on Netflix on October 7, 2022.

Vampire Academy

Based on the novels of the same name, this upcoming Peacock series is actually the second Vampire Academy adaptation after the 2014 movie. This reboot series will come out later in 2022.

On The Come Up

Paramount Plus is releasing this adaptation of Angie Thomas’ novel in 2022. It tells the story of a teen girl who fulfills her rap-battle dreams.